were going through a ravine or pass where the walking was better.
Here, too, a wind reached us and it was cooler. Cool eve of the heights
drew on. We came to a bubbling well of coldest water and drank to our
great refreshment. Veritable pine trees, which we never saw in the
lowlands, towered above and sang. The path was easier, but hardly,
hardly, could Beltran drag himself along it. His arm was over my
shoulder.
Out of the dark pass we came upon a table almost bare of trees
and covered with a fine soft grass. The mountains of Cibao, five
leagues--maybe more--away, hung in emerald purple and gold under the
sinking sun. The highest rocky peaks rose pale gold. Below us and
between those mountains on which we stood and the golden mountains of
Cibao, spread that plain, so beautiful, so wide and long, so fertile and
smiling and vast, that afterwards was called the Royal Plain! East and
west one might not see the end; south only the golden mountains stopped
it. And rivers shone, one great river and many lesser streams. And we
saw afar many plumes of smoke from many villages, and we made out maize
fields, for the plain was populous. _Vega Real_! So lovely was it in
that bright eve! The very pain of the day made it lovelier.
The high grassy space ran upon one side to sheer precipice, dropping
clear two hundred feet. But there was camping ground enough--and the sun
almost touched the far, violet earth.
The Indians threw themselves down. When they had supper they would eat
it, when they had it not they would wait for breakfast. But Caonabo with
twenty young men came to us. He said something, and my arms were caught
from behind and held. He faced Beltran seated against a pine. "Aiya!" he
said. His voice was deep and harsh, and he made a gesture of repugnance.
There was a powerfully made Indian beside him, and I saw the last
gleam of the sun strike the long, sharp, stone knife. "Kill!" said the
cacique.
A dozen flung themselves upon Beltran, but there was no need, for he
sat quite still with a steady face. He had time to cry to Juan Lepe,
who cried to him, "That's what I say! Good cheer and courage and meet
again!"
He had no long suffering. The knife was driven quickly to his heart.
They drew the shell to the edge of the precipice and dropped it over.
It was early night, it was middle night, it was late night. They had set
no watch, for where and what was the danger here on this mountain top?
One side went down in a
|